


Baby Steps

by athirstygoil



Series: Side-Stories from A Rogue What?! [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 10:17:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19990510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athirstygoil/pseuds/athirstygoil
Summary: Undyne has a lot on her mind, but the most important task at hand is apologizing to Alphys.





	Baby Steps

**Author's Note:**

> also known as Undyne's Apology
> 
> A short story set between chapters seven and eight of A Rogue What?!

The dry heat of Hotland was never kind to the Captain. Especially in her heavy armor. But today was one of her off-hours thankfully, and the excruciating temperature made for a fitting reminder of their situation. Pain for pain. That was only fair, after all. The trek gave her time to think through her apology. How she’d go about it. How Alphys would probably react. Most of those scenarios lead to the conclusion of not very well. Still, she had to remedy her mistake. Even if she’d have to embarrass her proud self, even if she had to hurt Alphys all over again. 

It would be wrong of her to deny she’d thought about doing what was better for her; telling Asgore that she needed help, that a one-woman army wasn’t enough. But she wasn’t lying when she knew most others didn’t take responsibility for more than she did. Even if he did manage to find her an appropriate understudy, would they be as passionate as she? Would they lessen her workload or would they make it worse? She almost didn’t want to think about it. 

And even if he did manage to find someone, if she managed to get through Asgore’s thick head of fur and horns, would it even make a difference?

Parched and skin stiff, Undyne reached the water cooler at last. Taking a deep breath, and steeling herself, she dumped the styrofoam cup over her head. The relief was small, but welcome as the water trickled down her antennae. 

Running fingers through the hair-like strands, Undyne expelled slowly as she refilled the cup. Straightening her back, she murmured rehearsed lines to herself.

“Alphys, sorry about...back there--no...” In an almost mockingly chipper tone, she tried again. “ _Alphys, hey._ I uh, I’m sorry about… _busting up your friend-- **fuck.**_ ” Splashing the fluid over her head, the fish monster crushed the cup and chucked it in the lava below. Covering her dry face with her hands, Undyne groaned to herself.

“Stars, Undyne, you’re better than this. Just go fucking do it. No hiding your ugly, dumbass self.” Tenting fingers over her eyes to shade them, the fish monster sighed shortly. “If she loves you, she’ll understand.” 

The Laboratory was only a short walk away, and by then Undyne’s flesh was more than screaming for water. She only ever came for her after all. She’d fight through the heat for Alphys any day. And as the huge metal building loomed over her, Undyne found the shade a welcoming few degrees cooler than the overall heat.

She tentatively rapped a knuckle at the metal door before Undyne decided that wasn’t loud enough. Groaning to herself, the fish monster frowned. Shoulders falling as she took another breath, she knocked on the door once more. Louder, enough that it clanged in response.

The metal sheet slid open, and an inconspicuous camera glared down at her as she stumbled through the threshold. Staring back at it accusatory-like, Undyne regained her composure and strode forward. The door slid shut behind her. Icy compared to the heat outside, the cool air hit her like a ton of bricks, and she leaned against the doorframe a moment to regulate herself. Stars why did Alphys have to live like this. No wonder she almost never left her lab.

Body mostly adjusted, Undyne slowly looked around.

“Alphys?” she called out. The lights glowed dimly around her as she made her way to the reptilian monster’s multi-screened set-up. All the cameras focused on her.

“You’ve got--y-y-you’ve got some… _n-n-nerve_ coming here!” Jerking back, Undyne turned to see all the screens behind her dark, save for a reflection of the doctor’s glasses. “D-d-did you--i-i-intend to--to--m-m-make a _f-f-fool_ of me?” The normally shy voice boomed through the speakers in the lab. “T-t-that I’m just some-- _d-d-damsel--in-d-d-distress_ that...that--needs s-s-saving? Or--or _p-p-protecting?!_ ” A suppressed sob, a betrayed breath. 

“I thought...I t-t-thought I knew-- _e-e-everything_ about you, Undyne,” she snarled, “A-a-apparently I d-d-don’t.” Brows knitted, the fish monster faced the screens bravely.

“You’re frustrated and betrayed,” Undyne confirmed, “I know. I would be too.” Beseechingly reaching for the lenses, Undyne bit at her lip. “I never meant to hurt you, Alphys,” she confessed.

“I never meant to beat up your friend either,” Undyne apologized, vaguely remembering the sound of crunching metal between her hands and shattered screen at her knuckles. “I...I thought I could deal with it,” she admitted, “all on my own. But I never should have hid it from you. If I make dumb decisions all the time, this is one of my dumbest.” Large teeth grinding, she gazed at the cameras with regret.

“I care about you, and I should have trusted you enough to share, even though I hate that part of me. Even though I shouldn’t even _be_ that.” Lip quivering, Undyne inhaled sharply. “Please forgive me Alphys,” she asked, implored. “I’ll communicate better, I promise. It’ll be hard but...I’ll also _be_ better.”

The screens flickered a second before they darkened uniformly.

And Undyne hear the faint whirring of the conveyor belt and feet lightly tapping against the cold tile. There, in a darker lab uniform and red, swirling glasses, stood Alphys.

Fury and spite radiated from her as she stomped forward.

And at every step, Undyne could have sworn she felt it all.

Alphys halted a few feet away from her. The silence hung heavy around them, like a muted ringing surrounded the two monsters like a thin veil.

And when Alphys spoke, it was like her quiet voice overshadowed the whirring fans in the room.

“Y-y-you...y-y-you scared me,” Alphys admitted with a quivering frown, “y’know?” And another step toward Undyne, the scientist reached out before jerking her hand away. 

“I-I-I thought--I t-t-thought...you were going to...t-t-to _hurt yourself!_ ” Angrily punching Undyne, Alphys snarled, her voice shrill.

And Undyne let her.

“Y’know I wouldn’t do that, Alph,” she smiled with quiet reassurance.

“W-w-what was I...w-w-what was I s-s- _supposed to think?!_ ” Alphys snapped, “When you’re a-a-all stumbling like some c-c-cretin! W-w-waving yer fists around--l-l-like some h-h- _hot shot?!_ ” Rage dissipating, Alphys took a moment to breathe. In a quieter tone, she spoke again.

“W-w-when I took that bottle from you, I-I-I was doing it _f-f-for you_! And to h-h-have you...g-g- _grabbing for it again_ w-w-was the scariest I ever s-s-seen you.” A sob, and Alphys quickly made to cover her face. Bravely, she tore her hands away to face Undyne.

“If...i-i-if Mettaton didn’t i-i-intervene, I h-h-have no idea what I would have _d-d-done._ ”

Tears welled in Alphys eyes, and her hot breath fogged her glasses. 

“ _U-U-Undyne,_ ” she sobbed, “You can’t d-d-do that to yourself.” And as clear as she could muster, “ _Y-y-you need to stop!_ ” Sadly smiling Undyne drew her closer in an embrace. Alphys stiffened in her arms a moment before relaxing.

“It’ll be hard,” Undyne admitted, “but I will.” Alphys’ short arms encompassed what they could as she dug her face into Undyne’s shoulder.

“You’ll be with me, won’t you?” Undyne requested, hoping. With a sniffle, Alphys nodded.

“Yeah,” she promised. “E-e-every...e-e-every step of t-t-the way.” Undyne felt a swell of emotion at the affirmation. A pull, and she knew she had to say it--she wanted to and there was no way she’d hold herself back now.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I love you and I want to pursue you--” The smallest gasp escaped her teeth as Alphys stiffened. Sensing there was more she needed to say, Alphys interrupted.

“B-b-but…?”

“But I’m afraid if I do--” Undyne bit her lip, “--it may be _detrimental_ to the healing process. I don’t wanna drag you into whatever drama that’s gonna happen. _Especially_ around _me._ ” Alphys scoffed playfully at the notion.

“H-h-have you… h-h-have you _s-s-seen_ Mettaton? I can...I c-c-can handle _drama_ a-a-any day. B-b-besides,” she added haughtily, “he looks b-b- _better_ with the n-n-new look. P-p-practically _adds_ to his p-p-persona.”

“I guess he better thank me then!” Undyne chuckled aloud, both relief and surprise showing in her shoulders.

“D-d-don’t push your luck!” Alphys laughed in return. “H-h-he’s still mad it’ll take l-l-longer to reveal his n-n-new body now!” This only made Undyne laugh harder. What a stuck-up asshole. What a-- 

Catching that smug look on Alphys’ face, Undyne knew it to be certain.

Alphys was worth it.

 _Coming here_ was worth it.

And never in all her years did she feel the happiest than at seeing her smile. 

Undyne reached for her, patting Alphys’ cheek much to her surprise. Blinking, Alphys eyed her from behind the swirls on her tinted glasses.

“U-Undyne?”

“Will you...” Undyne swallowed, and drew away. “Will you be my girlfriend?” Alphys’ sputter soon diminished into her blowing a raspberry.

“I-I-I thought we already were!” she laughed brashly, covering her mouth.

“I just--thought I’d ask to make it official!” Undyne spluttered.

“W-w-what are we in, a m-m-manga?!” Alphys cackled, “O-o-of course I will!” Suddenly catching Undyne at the waist, Alphys nuzzled and embraced her tightly. “O-of _course_ I will,” she repeated.

Squeezing her affirmingly back, Undyne swore, in the back of her mind, there would be no more setbacks. No more falling into the habit. No more trying to drown the stress and memories.

No matter how punishing it felt. No matter how long it took.

Today was the happiest day of her life. 

And it was time for a change.


End file.
